Penn Badgley Is ‘Very Troubled’ By The Accusations Against YOU Co-Star Chris D’Elia

Penn Badgley, the star of Netflix's YOU, is speaking out about the recent claims against his former co-star, Chris D'Elia.

Badgley revealed on The Los Angeles Times podcast Can't Stop Watching that he felt "very troubled" by the allegations that D'Elia has sexually harassed and groomed underage women.

He explained that the actor's alleged actions speak to a bigger "systemic" issue, which has even made him question whether the series is causing more harm than good for its viewers.

Penn plays Joe Goldberg on the series, an obsessive man, who stalks women he is infatuated with.

In many cases, he has resorted to murder.

D'Elia played a comedian who, under the guise of helping younger women with their careers, drugged and sexually assaulted them.

Viewers were quick to point out the similarities between D'Elia and the character he played on the series, something that was not lost on Badgley.

"I also am thinking about how to somehow not—the idea that a show like ours would indirectly, unwittingly be a haven for people who are abusive is disturbing. It's very disturbing," he said.

"What does it take to change that? Because it's not just vetting individuals. There needs to be a change in culture and attitude so that that kind of behavior is so clearly reprehensible, it's so clearly, like, anti-human."

The former Gossip Girl star also said that the accusations prompted YOU producers to speak with Jenna Ortega, the actress who was in several scenes with D'Elia on YOU Season 2.

The intent was "to make sure she felt safe."

He noted that he and the show producers want ensure the set is a place where the actors "can feel safe and sound," despite the show's dark subject matter.

"You know, to the degree that the subject matter is conflicting and challenging in that end, trying to create that culture, does a show like ours help to create that culture?"

"Well, I know that at least our show is trying to be—thinks about things in a dismantling, deconstructive manner."

"I would hope that at least our show is not serving to uphold these kind of, like, bunk ways of being and these systems, right?"

D'Elia broke his silence earlier this month on the accusations against him to TMZ, stating that he "never knowingly pursued any underage women at any point."

"All of my relationships have been both legal and consensual and I have never met or exchanged any inappropriate photos with the people who have tweeted about me," he stated.